Prime Minister Calls on People of All Faiths to Unite in Nation-Building Efforts

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has called on people of all religions to work together in unity and with dedication to build the country, stressing that Bangladesh must move forward with the participation of people from all religious communities.

“People must work together to build the country, regardless of religion or ethnicity. Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians and people of all other faiths must join hands and work diligently to build the nation,” he said.
He made the remarks while visiting the Dharmasabha (Radha Gobinda Temple) Puja mandap in Rangpur and exchanging greetings with devotees at around 11:45 am on Tuesday, October 20.
Tarique Rahman said people of all religions had united to achieve independence in 1971. Now, he said, everyone must work together to build the country. The common aspiration should be to take Bangladesh forward through unity.

He said the people had entrusted the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) with the responsibility of running the country following the February 12 election. Since assuming office, the government had been trying to stand beside working people.

Agricultural loans of up to Tk 10,000 had been waived for farmers, he said, adding that the Family Card programme had been launched and the Farmer Card programme would be introduced soon. Monthly allowances had also been arranged for imams, muezzins and religious leaders of other faiths. The government was trying to support people from every social and professional group, he added.

The Prime Minister said a certain group was constantly spreading confusion. Attempts had been made in the past to make the Liberation War controversial, but the people had not accepted those efforts. Similarly, attempts were now being made to cast doubt on the 2024 student-public uprising, he said, urging everyone to remain alert.
“For some time, we have been seeing attempts by a certain group to spread various kinds of confusion about the unity we are trying to build and the inclusive approach through which the government wants to move forward with everyone,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the pro-democracy people, he urged everyone not to undermine the 2024 mass uprising led by students and the public.
He called on anyone with statements or demands to raise them in Parliament, saying the people had elected their representatives to the House. Decisions that serve the interests of the people and the state should be reached through debate and discussion there, he said.
Reiterating his commitment to working with everyone, Tarique Rahman said it did not matter who had voted for the BNP and its candidates in the election and who had not. The government wanted to work for the country and its people, irrespective of political affiliation or opinion.
“We want this government to be a government for those who voted for it, as well as for those who did not,” he said.

The Prime Minister said the government wanted to ensure balanced development across all regions, taking the country’s economic capacity into account. As part of this effort, Tk 18 billion had been allocated for the development of Rangpur city at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) over the past two weeks.
He added that initiatives had also been taken through the local government system to build necessary infrastructure in different upazilas, unions and villages across Rangpur district. These projects included bridges, culverts, schools and colleges.
He urged people to set aside political and social divisions and work together to advance these development initiatives.

Tarique Rahman said people from different religions, beliefs and social and professional backgrounds had historically united in Bangladesh’s Liberation War and movements to establish democratic rights. During the 1971 Liberation War, people fought for independence without considering religious identity. Similarly, people from all religions and walks of life took to the streets during movements for democratic rights, he said.
Referring to the 2024 mass uprising, he said people from different social and professional backgrounds had participated in the movement regardless of party affiliation, beliefs, religion or ethnicity.
He said people of different faiths had lived together in Bangladesh for a long time, and an environment should be maintained to ensure that they could continue living together peacefully.
“If we want to build the Bangladesh we aspire to have in the future, people of all religions and beliefs must work together for the country and help build that Bangladesh,” he said.

Emphasising the need to fulfil people’s expectations, the Prime Minister highlighted education, healthcare and employment opportunities as key priorities. He said people wanted stability, peace and security, and the government was working towards those goals. He again sought everyone’s cooperation, irrespective of political affiliation, beliefs, religion or ethnicity.
At the end of his remarks, he extended greetings to the Hindu community on the occasion of Sharadiya Durga Puja. Calling on people of all religions to live together peacefully and participate in building the Bangladesh they aspire to, he said, “Bangladesh is our country. Everyone must work together to build it into a better place. That should be our shared aspiration.”